Touch screens have become an increasingly common way for users to intuitively interact with electronic systems, typically those that include displays for viewing information. Touch screens include transparent touch screens that can be disposed over variable displays and/or static images so that the displayed information and images can be viewed through the touch screen. Touch screen technologies that can be used in such configurations include resistive, capacitive, projected capacitive, and surface acoustic wave, among others. Many projected capacitive touch screens utilize a pattern of conductors as the sensing elements. The term “projected capacitive” refers to the ability of the pattern of conductors to project a field through a relatively thick dielectric such as a thin glass panel, the glove of a gloved finger, and so forth. Because projected capacitive touch screens can sense through thicker materials, such touch screens can be ruggedized and made vandal resistant, and therefore can be well suited to public access applications and extreme environments.